A UK scientist. As well as a chemistry degree I also have an MSc in Polymer Composite science & engineering. I pursued a PhD in paper science (deinking)in the guise of a Research Assistant at the University of Manchester.I have many interests and always like to try out learn new things. STEM Ambassador and member of Board of Scientific Advisors for The Rutger Hauer Starfish Association (non-profit). A long term runner to raise funds for this organisation xxx

Tuesday, 9 August 2011

Or to put it another way I wonder how many elements have been discovered since I've been around? That is, since 1969. You may remember as, its only 2 years ago that back in 2009, a new element was discovered and named. This was element 112 which after due consideration IUPAC decided to give the name Copernicium with the symbol Cn. This year 2 new elements 114 and 116 were found to exist. IUPAC say that this is now official and that they are currently trying to name them. Interestingly only the name of dead scientists can be used. Anybody got any ideas who they would like the elements to be named after? ;) This is of course what got me wondering what the periodic table looked like in 1969. After abit of research it seems that element #105 Dubnium was discovered in 1967 in USSR. This is a transition metal whose origin was to be found at the Joint Institute for nuclear research at Dubna. So this is what the Periodic Table looked like in 1969

As you can see this means that 43 elements have been discovered since then. That averages out at more than one a yr! Care to share what it looked like in the year YOU were born?